The present invention relates to a calibration and measuring system for tubes. More specifically, but without limitation, the present invention relates to a calibration and measuring system for traveling wave tubes.
A traveling wave tube may be defined, but without limitation, as an amplifier that puts out continuous wave power over a broad range of bandwidth of frequencies, or a tube in which a stream of electrons interacts continuously or repeatedly with a guided electromagnetic wave moving substantially in synchronism with it, and in such a way that there is a net transfer of energy from the stream to the wave.
Traveling wave tubes are used on certain U.S. Navy tactical jamming systems. One jamming system component, in particular, the AN/ALQ-99(V) Band 9/10 Transmitter contains four traveling wave tubes that produce a specified radio frequency power. The four traveling wave tubes must be matched in phase in order for the transmitter to produce the specified radio frequency power, thus, each wave tube must be calibrated and tested to ensure they are matched in phase. Prior methods yielded a phase error which in turn can cause a non operational jamming system.
Thus, there is a need in the art to provide a method or mechanism that incorporates the listed benefits without the limitations inherent in present methods. For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a calibration and measuring system for traveling wave tubes.